Sparx88 Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I just wanted to know if the more successful ball shells are paper or plastic. I need to buy more and I was leaning towards paper because they seem to be able to generate more pressure before bursting for bigger breaks. But the plastic are cheaper. Would I use gummed craft tape to paste the plastics the same as paper? And are the plastics able to hold up under hard breaks as good? Though the plastics are thin it seems they would be easier to work with when it comes to gluing the halves together with just some meth chloride or pvc cement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schroedinger Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Normally they get pasted quite different, but paper should be the better one. It just leaves biodegradable debris . Plastics won't rot Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan999ification Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 You'll get better symmetry with paper, plus bp can be made to function with good pasting.I've not seen many symmetrical breaks with unpasted plastic, it can be Done with harder breaks though. Paper all the way. Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LambentPyro Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Hell, why wouldn't anyone use Paper! It's so much cheaper and more efficient! I've see people get amazing breaks by wrapping a few pieces of "Dave's Magic Tape" around the seem and get perfect breaks. As it's unorthodox, I refuse to do it, but it's just an example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maserface Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 the first shell I made was with a plastic hemi, they close easier, and make -ok- breaks. But you will want to use paper eventually, so id suggest you start with paper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arthur Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 Plastic leaves debris which lasts forever so I prefer paper which degrades naturally. If you get the break system right you can get either paper or plastic shells to break well, but the break system is different for either material and it's unlikely that a beginner will get both right first time.. Paper will take a slower burst powder and more paper to get a good burst, plastic needs a fast brissant burst which may smash the stars. Overall it's the biodegradable debris that makes me prefer paper shells. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asdercks Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I just wanted to know if the more successful ball shells are paper or plastic. I need to buy more and I was leaning towards paper because they seem to be able to generate more pressure before bursting for bigger breaks. But the plastic are cheaper. Would I use gummed craft tape to paste the plastics the same as paper? And are the plastics able to hold up under hard breaks as good? Though the plastics are thin it seems they would be easier to work with when it comes to gluing the halves together with just some meth chloride or pvc cement. I know plastic seems like a good and quick option to make your own shells (I used to think so ), but the reality is that you will get better and more symetrical breaks using paper shells, when you use plastic you may run into some issues with the shell halves not being accurately made and you'll have a hard time joining both halves together increasing your chances of rearranging the contents of the shell (stars,inserts etc),also when welding halves together there's always a chance you leave a weak spot etc, lets not forget polution, plastic takes a lot of years to desintegrate. but if you still want to make plastic shells there's some techniques you can use to get fairly good results. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparx88 Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Well, that settles that Paper it is. TY 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrB Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 I don't know what sort of plastics is used in the hemi's, in theory at least, they could be biodegradable starch products, but to be honest, i doubt it. Either way, i try to only use environmentally friendly materials my self, nothing should be laying in the grass for years to come after i passed through the area.B! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maserface Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 well its not that hard to clean up after yourself Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Most plastic shells are made from polystyrene. There was a place trying to develop a biodegradable type of shell casing, probably poly(lactic acid), but I haven't heard much about that recently. Probably still to expensive for real use though, and it does require harsher solvents than polystyrene. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schroedinger Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 Well i think zthe spanish supplier (gamo plastics) head a biodegradeble shell in their program, but i'm not sure if they still produce it, as of what i heard it didn't sell very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mumbles Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 That's who I was thinking of. The last time I looked I couldn't find any mention of it though, so I wasn't sure if I just wasn't remembering correctly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrB Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 well its not that hard to clean up after yourself I actually never heard of anyone even trying to. The debris from a 100-500' launch will end up quite easily over a football-field. At best, people take their mortars, clean up the immediate vicinity, and walk away.B! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobosan Posted January 21, 2014 Share Posted January 21, 2014 After the 1.3 show I helped shoot last year, I found partial paper hemis all over my car which was downwind of the launch site an easy 250 yards away. The local FD monitoring by the road side told us they were chasing down hot embers with portapacks as they floated down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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